Hanover County paper mill to reopen

A 600,000-square-foot Hanover County facility that produced newsprint is reopening later this year.

White Birch Paper said it plans to reopen its Bear Island mill in Hanover in the third quarter of this year, according to a news release by JLL.

The mill, which was idled at the end of June 2017, has an annual production capacity of roughly 215,000 MT of standard newsprint.

“The dynamics of the current newsprint market have made it clear that the market is in a temporary state of undersupply.  Further anticipated capacity closures will expedite difficult decisions for consumers in an already tough environment,” Chris Brant, president and chief operations officer for White Birch Paper, said in a statement. “While the long-term trend for the consumption of newsprint is assuredly on the decline, short to medium term market conditions will accommodate, if not welcome, some relief from recent shortages in supply. White Birch is a long-term player in this market, and we are dedicated to supplying continuity to those consumers with that same long-term outlook.”

White Birch continues to market the mill.  The sale of the facility is being handled by JLL's Danny Holly, Jimmy Appich and Chris Avellana.